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rest and quietness — hence the difficulty in getting recoveries. With 

 flat bones, as the shoulder-blade, and pelvic bones, where they are 

 enveloped with flesh, the ends of the bones are kept fairly well in 

 apposition, and at times do capitally, simply by putting the animal on 

 to the slings, with perfect quietness, and with a good pitch charge 

 applied over the affected parts. The bones of the pastern joints, when 

 the injury is not too extensive, also, occasionally do well, and where 

 the animal is likely to be useful for stud purposes, it is worth the attempt. 

 I have seen the best recoveries m fractures of the lower bones of the 

 limbs, obtained by putting on a good starch or plaster-of-Paris bandage 

 — the latter is preferable — and turning the patient out to grass. It is 

 astonishing, when the animal is left to itself, how soon it can nurse the 

 maimed limb. Fractures of the long bones or weight carriers, such as the 

 thigh, fore-arm, and shank, are the most difficult to deal with, especially 

 in the horse, which, if so injured, is generally destroyed ; yet, in the 

 human being they are the easiest. The long bones of cattle and dogs 

 unite readily, by putting on, with melted burgundy pitch, thick shoe- 

 sole leather splints, li inches broad, all being held with a bandage, 

 which is not too tight, so as to allow of the swelling which takes place. 

 When a bone is fractured we sometimes have much constitutional 

 disturbance, or traumatic fever set up, and this has to be treated as 

 well as the injured part. Great care and judgment are required in 

 putting splints and bandages on a broken limb. Splints made of stout 

 shoe-sole leather are very useful, placed so as to leave room between 

 the splints for the limb to swell, and for the passage of the blood. A 

 little melted burgundy pitch put on the splint before placing it on the 

 limb, keeps it in its place. The bandages, as they are rolled on, are 

 smeared with the melted pitch, and must not be pulled too tight, 

 especially in young foals. 



83. Before a fracture can unite, inflammation has to take place, and 

 reparative material or bony exudate is thrown out between and around 

 the broken ends of the bone, taking about six or eight weeks to become 

 consolidated, and which, on solidifying, is called the Callus. If the 

 animal has been on slings, a great many weeks are required before 



